Osmania University was established in 1918 at Hyderabad Deccan which was the largest of the princely states of India. The distinguishing feature of this University was that the medium of instruction was Urdu for all its faculties including humanities, sciences, engineering, medicine and law. Appointment of highly qualified faculty from all over India took place and a Bureau of Compilations and Translations was also established. It produced translations of standard textbooks from English and German. Maulvi Abdul Haq (Baba-e-Urdu) was its curator.

Dr Khalifa Abdul Hakim joined the University’s Department of Philosophy in 1919 on the strong recommendation of Allama Mohammad Iqbal. He was highly regarded as a teacher not only by students but also by colleagues. He also delivered public lectures and presided over literary functions and “Mushairas” held in the city. Maharaja Krishen Parshad  who patronised the arts appreciated him in these events. Mrs Sarojini Naido was another admirer of his.  Dr Hakim also contributed several articles to the University magazine “Mujalla’ and to the Indian Philosophical Congress. However after retirement the majority of his books were authored on literary and philosophical topics related to Maulana Jalauddin Rumi, Iqbal, Ghalib and Islamic themes. He is regarded as a proponent of liberal, progressive views on religion and culture relevant to significant current issues. His several books on these themes have been well received by scholars. He founded the Institute of Islamic Culture at Lahore after his retirement where he and his associates contributed several noteworthy books on issues and challenges faced by the Islamic world.